Tipple truck platform



1937. J. L. STRATTON ET AL 2,089,717

T IPPLE TRUCK PLATFORM Filed July 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT 51937. J, L. STRATTON El AL 2,089,717

TIPPLE TRUCK PLATFORM Filed July 25, 1936 s Shets-Sheet s Patented Aug.10, 1937 PATENT OFFICE LEIPFLE'I TRUCK PLATFORM M James IQ. Stratton andArvie H. Henry, I Oklahoma City,-,0kla.

Application Ju'ly25, 1936, Serial No. 92,488 H Claims; ((31. 214-85)This invention comprehendsthe automatic mechanical handling ofheavyl'oads', both-in loading and unloading. I h

The invention offers a teaching in the art of -,5 drayage. This teachingsuggests the r'novability and tiltability of a loading platform inconjunction with a truck-chassis. I It'is an object to skid the platformalong a planeat'an angle to the horizontal plane of the chassis-beams,while allowing the 'plane of the platform to remain parallel with theplane of the chassis beams, until a given position, when the platformwill gravitate automatically to a tilted rearwardly disposed position.At another position, it will again tilt back to normal position or inits-horizontal plane. It is an object'of the invention to provide theneeded means for this aforesaid accomplishment,

and also to insure a fixed-position and retainment of the platformin'thedrayage, loading, and 2 unloading positions of the same.

It is also an object of the invention tomove the loading-platform to aloading and an unloading position automatically, in part, by the use ofthe inclination means by which the loading- 5 platform is sustained,after the platform has been given an initial movement upon saidincli- Ination means,by means which are substantially mechanically controllable.

, Other objects of the invention will appear from a reading of both thespecification, the drawings and the claims. I

On the sheets of drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a structure arranged to'include theessentials of the invention;

5 Figure 2 is an inverted'view, with parts omitted to display moreconveniently, some'of the essential parts; I

Figure 3 is a rear end sectional View .taken on the line 3--3 of Figure1 forwardof the rear end, and just behind the wheels of the truck;

Figure 4 is an elevation view of a suitable winch-cable guide associatedwiththe upper side of the loading-platform, and v Figure 5 is a detailfragment of the platformrunner, showing its anti-friction roller.

In said views, like characters of reference will indicate like parts.

The chassis, as such, forms no essential part of the invention, ofcourse, but upon the upper side of the beams I of its frame may bedisposed a series of. graduated sloping transverse members 2, 3, 4 and5, more or less, as the case may I require, and decreasing in height inthe order named. Rear of these are bearings 6 and 'I in which is borne ashaft 8 about which rotate two anti-friction rollers 9 and Ill,intermediate whereof is provided on said shaft a pivoted mandrel II.

"Upon the graduated members 2, 3, 4 and 5 are mounted two tracks I2 andI3 which, of course, may be of any suitable type so long as they areinclined relative to the plane of the chassis beams I, and, preferablymay be arcuate to receive tubular runners I4 and I5, and the only objectof the runners being tubular is to simplify construction, and thereforeany type of runner may be adapted at will. Forward of these runners areinserted rollers I6 (see Figure 5) to re- "lieve the friction of therunners between them and the tracks while the runners are moving overthe rollers 9 and III during the excursions of the platform H in eitherdirection.

Upon these runners I4 and I5 and running transverse thereto, butparallel with the members 2, 3, 4 and 5 are like members I8, I9, 20 and2I, more or less, as the case may be, and which increase in height intheorder named or reverse to' the order of height of those members 2, 3, 4and 5. Upon these the platform I! is supported, and thus there isprovided a horizontally movable loading-platform upon a horizontallydisposed chassis-frame and an intermediate trackage train which occupiesan angular position with relation to both and this far, essentially theinvention corresponds to that disclosed and taught in our applicationfor Letters Patent of the United which, at will, the book 24 of thewinch-cable 25'may be inserted for any given purpose.

On the chassis frame beams I are bearings 26,

omitted in Figure 2, for the sake of clarity in which is'located a baror reel having a squared head 21 and upon which bar may be stored acable 28 suitably attached to the under side of the platform so thatwhen a wrench is applied to the head 21, and movement therefore isprovided, the platform, by the pull of the cable 28 will slide down thetracks I2 and I3, assisted by the travel of the rollers I6 in the tracksand over the rollers 9 and Ill mounted on the shaft 8 in the bearings 1at the outer end of the chassisbeams I, thus lowering gradually butstill maintaining the loading-platform in horizontal position, until itstilting point when it will auto- 5 matically go over.

The winch-cable unreels from and reels upon a winch-drum 29 operatedultimately by a crank 36, and this cable is designed to pass through ananti-friction device, located upon the upper side of the platform l1,and which may be seen in detail in Figure 4. Here is a frame 3|supported upon a base 32 and into the upright standards whereof arejournalled two horizontally disposed parallel but separated rollers 33'and 1 34, While in the base and the upper part of. the

frame are journalled two transversely or vertically mounted separatedrollers 35 and 36. This provides a universal guide and friction rollermedia for the cable 25 as it weaves from side to side during itsthreading and unthreadin'g upon the drum 29 of the winch.

To the underside of thebolster 22 is preferably Welded a short header 31which is substantially in axial alignment with the bolster 22 and fromthis header 3? and extending forward thereof,

are two reaches 38 and 39, running parallel. with the runners and thetracks and essentially coincident with the length of the platform I].Near their free ends, these reaches are each provided with transverseopenings 40.

Running parallel with the runners l4 and I5, and transversely locatedupon and affixed to the mandrel M are-reach-guides 4! and 42 which havea tipple-movement because of the pivotal relation of the mandrel II tothe shaft 8, and through which the reaches 38 and 39 travel, when theloading-platform I 1 travels in either direction, because the header 36is fixed to the bolster 22- which is affixed to the runners l4 and I5.4:0.These tipple reach-guides are provided with transversely locatedopenings 43 and correspondingly,'at this point, if desired, thesereaches may be provided with like openings, and when theloading-platform is in horizontal drayage posi- 45 tion, a pin or bar 44may pass through these openings and hold the loading-platform in drayageposition after it has been, pulled to that position by the cable 25.When it is desired to shift the platform rearwardly by the cable 28winding on the bar having the squared head 21, the pin it is removed andthe platform will, at a given point after being started by the pull onthe cable 28 automatically topple and gravitate groundward, and slideout to the limit of the runners and the reaches, ready for loading ordischarge or drayage.

During this period the guides 4| and 42 will correspondingly tip as willthe reaches 38 and 39, and which, when drawn out to their limit in theguides H and 42, may be held in that position, at will by againinserting the pin or bar into the reaches and the reach-guides when thereaches have come to their full outward or rearward position. Thisinsures in'both cases, a locked position of theloading-platform H. Toprevent the runners l4 and I5 from lifting from their tracks, the latterare provided with caps 44.

It will now be observed that there is provided a tiltable loadingplatform with tiltable guides therefor, governing the movement ofreaches, which in either fully tilted position or fully normal drayageposition afford means for holding the 5 platform in given positions, andinsuring positive action.

Having thus set forth the invention, we claim:

1. In a construction as set forth, the combination with a chassis, of apartially horizontally to and tiltable loading platform movably mountedthereon, means upon which the loading platform may tilt; tandem meansintermediately located of the chassis and the loading platform andangular toboth for lowering the platform through hori- 5 zontal planesto the tilting point, a system of reaches associated with the loweringmeans and the loading platform for holding said loading platform ingiven fixed positions; means pivotally mounted'for co-operating withsaid means, and 0 an element adapted to afiixedly associate'the holdingmeans and. the pivoted means.

2.v In a construction as set forth, a chassis,

'angularly located tandem tracks'mounted thereupon, runners mounted inconnection with said 25 .tracks, a platform angularly related to therunners; and parallel with the tandem tracks, reaches intermediate ofsaid runners, a bolster'for said platform, a header afiixed to saidbolster and to said reaches, rollers in association with s'aid '30runners, and mounted on said chassis, a mandrel in association with saidrunners, guides tiltably carried by the mandrel, and governing themovement of said reaches, said guides and reaches having co-operatingopeningsgand means. for 35 taking into said openings, for controllingthe reaches. f

3. The organization of claim 2, and means for mechanically forcing theplatform to a tilting point. 1

4. The organization of claim 1, and meansfor mechanically forcing the.platform to a' tilting point.

5. In a combination as set. forth, a chassis having horizontallydisposed beams, of graduated members sloping thereon from front to:rear, tracks disposed on said members; runners operable in conjunctionwith .said tracks, graduated members set in reverse order to the firstnamed members, a platform mounted thereonnx and adapted upon themovement of the runners to lower through horizontal planes to'a tipplepoint; a header carried with the platform; reaches associated with theheader and running forward to the nether front of the platform x stiltable guides for the reaches, both guides. and reaches havingopenings of the transverse order, pivoted means upon which the guidesmaytip, antifriction rollers upon which the runnersimay move before thepoint of tipple, means for'co-uoperating with the openings to hold theplatform 'in given positions, and means carried by the platform forgoverning the movement of a Winch cable when employed in loading theplatform;

JAMES L. S'IRA'ITONr 65 ARVIE H. HENRY.

